You can configure specific backup configurations by selecting backup options. To access these options, start the Backup utility and select Tools Options. In the Options dialog box that appears, you’ll have five tabs: General, Restore, Backup Type, Backup Log, and Exclude Files.
The following sections describe the options on these tabs, used for controlling the backup and restore processes.
Configuring General Backup Options
The General tab, as seen in Figure 4.11, contains options for configuring backup sessions.
Table 4.4 describes these options.
F I G U R E 4 . 1 1 The General tab of the Backup utility’s Options dialog box
T A B L E 4 . 4 General Backup Options
Option Description
Compute selection informa-tion before backup and restore operations.
Estimates the number of files and bytes that will be backed up or restored during the current operation and displays this informa-tion prior to the backup or restore operainforma-tion.
Use the catalogs on the media to speed up building restore catalogs on disk.
Specifies that you want to use an on-media catalog to build an on-disk catalog, which can be used to select the folders and files to be restored during a restore operation.
Verify data after the backup completes.
Makes sure that all data has been backed up properly.
Back up the contents of mounted drives.
Specifies that the data should be backed up on mounted drives;
otherwise, only path information on mounted drives is backed up.
Show alert message when I start the Backup utility and Removable Storage is not running.
Notifies you if Removable Storage is not running (when you are backing up to tape or other removable media).
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Configuring Restore Options
The Restore tab of the Options dialog box, shown in Figure 4.12, contains three options that relate to how files are restored when the file already exists on the computer:
Do not replace the file on my computer (recommended).
Replace the file on disk only if the file on disk is older.
Always replace the file on my computer.
F I G U R E 4 . 1 2 The Restore tab of the Backup utility’s Options dialog box Show alert message when I
start the Backup utility and there is recognizable media available.
Notifies you when you start Backup if new media has been added to the Removable Storage import pool.
Show alert message when new media is inserted.
Notifies you when new media is detected by Removable Storage.
Always allow use of recog-nizable media without prompting.
Specifies that if new media is detected by Removable Storage, that media should be directed to the Backup media pool.
T A B L E 4 . 4 General Backup Options (continued)
Option Description
Selecting a Backup Type
In the Backup Type tab (Figure 4.13), you can specify the default backup type that will be used.
You should select this default backup type based on the following criteria:
How much data you are backing up
How quickly you want to be able to perform the backup
The number of tapes you are willing to use should you need to perform a restore operation Table 4.5 describes the backup type options.
Setting Backup Log Options
The Backup Log tab (Figure 4.14) allows you to specify the amount of information that is logged during the backup process. Table 4.6 describes the backup log options.
T A B L E 4 . 5 Backup Type Options
Option Description
Normal Backs up all files, and sets the archive bit as marked for each file that is backed up. Requires only one tape for the restore process.
Copy Backs up all files, and does not set the archive bit as marked for each file that is backed up. Requires only one tape for the restore process.
Differential Backs up only the files that have not been marked as archived, and does not set the archive bit for each file that is backed up. Requires the last nor-mal backup and the last differential tape for the restore process.
Incremental Backs up only the files that have not been marked as archived, and sets the archive bit for each file that is backed up. For the restore process, requires the last normal backup and all the incremental tapes that have been created since the last normal backup.
Daily Backs up only the files that have been changed today and does not set the archive bit for each file that is backed up. Requires each daily backup and the last normal backup for the restore process.
T A B L E 4 . 6 Backup Log Options
Option Description
Detailed Logs all information, including the names of the folders and files that are backed up.
Summary Logs only key backup operations, such as starting the backup.
None Specifies that a log file will not be created.
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F I G U R E 4 . 1 3 The Backup Type tab of the Backup utility’s Options dialog box
F I G U R E 4 . 1 4 The Backup Log tab of the Backup utility’s Options dialog box
Excluding Files
Use the Exclude Files tab of the Options dialog box (Figure 4.15) to explicitly exclude specific files during the backup process. For example, you might choose to exclude the page file or appli-cation files by clicking the Add New button and selecting the files you want to be excluded. The top of the dialog box allows you to specify the files that will be excluded for all users of the com-puter. The bottom of the dialog box allows you to exclude files that will not be backed up for the current user.
F I G U R E 4 . 1 5 The Exclude Files tab of the Backup utility’s Options dialog box